Combined carrier and package

ABSTRACT

A combined carrier and thermally insulated package for a plurality of liquid containers, formed of molded plastic foam surrounding the containers and adapted to be readily separated to form individual thermally insulated containers.

i atent Inventor Kenneth F. Oldenburg Arcadia, Calif.

Appl. No. 864,035

Filed Oct. 6, 1969 Patented Oct. 119, 1971 Assignee Fred N. Schwend Arcadia, Calif. a part interest COMBINED CARRIER AND PACKAGE 1 Claim, 6 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl 206/65 C, 206/56 AB, 220/23.8 Int. Cl .fli65d79/00, B65d 21/02 Field of Search 206/65 C,

65 E, 65 A, 65 R, 56 A; 220/9 F, 23.4, 23.8

References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 3,513,970 5/1970 Eckholm 206/65 E 3,374,298 3/1968 Studen 220/9 F UX 3,350,131 10/1967 Tanzer 206/65 C X 3,186,544 6/1965 Curry et a]. 206/65 E 2,961,124 11/1960 Hunter et al. 206/65 C UX FOREIGN PATENTS 211,731 10/1960 Austria 206/65 649,541 1/1951 Great Britain 220/23.8

Primary ExaminerLeonard Summer Attorney-Fred N. Schwend ABSTRACT: A combined carrier and thermally insulated package for a plurality of liquid containers, formed of molded plastic foam surrounding the containers and adapted to be readily separated to form individual thermally insulated containers.

PATENTEDum 19 I97! PISA mvmron KENNETH f. Olaf/V8096 BY COMBINED CARRIER AND PACKAGE This invention relates to a combined carrier and package for consumable liquids in either liquid or frozen form which are supplied in cartons, cans or bottles, and has particular reference to a combined carrier and package which also acts to thennally insulate the liquid carried thereby.

A principal object of the invention is to provide an economically manufactured combined carrier and package for canned or bottled liquids effective to thermally insulate the liquids contained therein.

Another object is to provide a combined carrier and package of the above type in which individual containers forming the package may be readily separated to facilitate drinking or pouring of the liquid contained therein.

A further object is to provide a combined carrier and package of the above type in which the individual liquid containers may be readily removed, either partly or wholly, and then returned to their respective insulating receptacles.

A further object is to provide a combined carrier and package of the above type in which the resulting individual container supporting sections form coasters to support the containers and prevent the same from damaging a supporting surface or from transferring heat therebetween.

The manner in which the above and other objects of the invention are accomplished will be readily understood in reference to the following specification when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a combined carrier and package embodying one form of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an alternate embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view, partly broken away, of the combined carrier and package of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a section view taken along line 44 of FIG. 3. FIG. 5 is a transverse-sectional view taken line 55 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view, partly broken away, through a modified form of the invention.

Referring in particular to FIG. 1 of the drawings, the combined carrier and package, generally indicated as 11 is preferably molded of cellular or foamed plastic such as foamed polyurethane or polyethylene. Such plastic foam material is well known under various trademarks, such as Styrofoam, Ethafoam, Dylite, etc. Plastic foam of this type is light, strong enough to support liquid containers, and has excellent heat-insulating qualities as well as excellent shock-absorbing qualities.

ln its form shown in FIG. 1 the assembly 11 comprises a row of annular or sleeve sections 12, each having a generally constant wall thickness on the order of 5s inch to A inch.

Liquid containing cans 13 may be either initially insertmolded in the sections 12 or, preferably, are pressed into the sections after the latter are molded. Such cans are of conventional construction having cylindrical sideswith top and bottom covers 15 and 16, respectively, (FIG. 4) suitably secured to the sides and resulting in slightly protruding cylindrical flanges l7 and 18. I-Iowever',sorne cans may have integrally formed bottoms and thus have no lower flanges.

The sleeve sections 12, are preferably of the same height as the cans and their upper and lower ends, and 21, respec' tively, lie flush with the tops and bottoms of the cans. The resulting package is no higher than the cans themselves. Also, the packages can be stacked on top of each other without crushing the plastic.

Counterbored openings may be initially molded in the openings 24 of the sleeve sections to receive the flanges 17 and 18, although it has been found that such openings need not be preformed since they conform to the configuration of the cans when the latter are pressed into the openings 24.

The various sleeve sections 12 are integrally connected together by connecting sections 25. The latter may extend only partly along the lengths of the sleeve sections, as shown particularly in FIG. 4, and are located adjacent the upper ends of the sleeve sections. Thus, although the sections 25 normally hold the sleeve sections together as an assembly during carrying, handling and storing, they are relatively frangible and may be readily separated by grasping an outer sleeve section with ones fingers adjacent the lower edge and forcing it outward in the direction of the arrow 27.

In order to facilitate carrying the assembly, oppositely extending flanges 30 and 39, FIGS. 3 and 5, are formed integrally with the body 11 at the upper end thereof and between the converging sidewalls of the two centermost sleeve sections 12. Such flanges -may be readily and comfortably gripped by one's thumb and fingers for carrying purposes. The flanges also strengthen the assembly to prevent accidental separation of the sections while carrying or handling the package and yet permit ready separation by forcing the sections outwardly as noted above. If desired, similar flanges may be formed integrally between the remaining sleeve sections as indicated by the dot-dash lines 36, to strengthen the assembly and to form additional hand holds in the event the package is divided into two or more parts.

It will be noted that the combined carrier and package is of minimum size and weight and also forms a protective support for protecting the cans or bottles against damage or breakage.

The sleeve sections 12 greatly restrict heat transfer through the sidewalls of the cans. Although the tops and bottoms of the cans are left exposed, it has been found that heat transfer at these places is not normally excessive since the total area thereof is relatively small compared with the total area of the sides. However, since the ends of the cans are exposed, the liquid therein can be adequately cooled or heated by placing the package in a refrigerator or heater until the desired temperature is reached.

Also, although the cans are adequately held in place by frictional engagement with the sides of the sleeve sections, they may readily be either partially or wholly removed if desired for drinking or pouring by merely pressing them endwise through the sleeve sections.

An important feature of the invention is that when the cans are partially removed from the sleeve sections, such sleeve sections form coasters, permitting them to be placed on a supporting surface while preventing direct temperature transfer between such supporting surface and the bottoms of the cans. Also, any moisture caused by condensation on the bottoms of the cans will thus be kept from transferring to, and possibly damaging such supporting surface.

If desired, bottom walls may be integrally formed on the sleeve sections, as shown in the modified form of FIG. 6. In such case, an opening 35 is formed in each bottom wall to permit a person to use his thumb or finger to press against the bottom of the can to partly remove the same. Likewise removable top covers, i.e. 33, may be attached to the upper ends of the sleeve sections to restrict temperature transfer to the tops of the cans.

Obviously, the assembly may be expanded to contain a greater number of cans and a corresponding number of sleeve sections integrally connected in a manner similar to that shown.

FIG. 2 illustrates an alternate embodiment in which two rows of sleeve sections 120 are molded into a unitary assembly. Here the sleeve sections are integrally connected to adjacent sections by at least two connecting sections, i.e. 25a and 25b, each similar to the connecting sections 25. Carrying flanges 32 and 33 are formed integrally with the upper ends of the two center sleeve sections 1120. Such flanges are similar to the flanges 30 and 31, enabling the same to be grasped by one's thumb and fingers for carrying the assembly. Additional similar flanges may be formed between the remaining sleeve sections to strengthen the assembly.

' I claim:

I. A combined carrier and package comprising a row of cylindrical containers spaced from each other, a one-piece molded body of plastic foam,

verging sidewalls of a pair of adjacent ones of said annular sections at the ends of said annular sections adjacent said connecting sections,

said flanges being integral with the said connecting section connecting said last mentioned pair of annular sections, and

said connecting sections being frangible whereby said annular sections may be readily broken away from one another. 

1. A combined carrier and package comprising a row of cylindrical containers spaced from each other, a one-piece molded body of plastic foam, said body comprising a row of annular sections of generally constant wall thickness surrounding the sides of said containers, said annular sections frictionally engaging the sides of respective ones of said containers whereby said containers may be pressed endwise to different positions in said annular sections and retained in said positions by said annular sections, connecting sections integrally connecting said annular sections adjacent one end only to said body, carrying flanges extending integrally from the opposite converging sidewalls of a pair of adjacent ones of said annular sections at the ends of said annular sections adjacent said connecting sections, said flanges being integral with the said connecting section connecting said last mentioned pair of annular sections, and said connecting sections being frangible whereby said annular sections may be readily broken away from one another. 